Track pan for railroads



March 4 1924.

J. H. FLEHARTY TRACK PAN. FOR RAILROADS Filed June 23. 1921 Ewes 772% INVENTOR.

BY 0% Mg? ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 4, 1924.

- resea- JAMES H. FLEHARTY, OF IBEREA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO- THE FLEHARTY COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

TRACK PAN FOR nnrttnoans.

Application filed June 23, 1921-. Serial No; 479,746.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. FLEI-IARTY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Berea, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Track Pans for Railroads, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions. The track pan, which forms the subject matter of the present invention, is intended for use in conjunction with the scoops with which locomotive tenders are fitted for the purpose of taking on water without stopping. This system ofta-king on water has been in limited use on certain trunk lines for a number of years past, but has not re- 29 ceived the general application to which it is entitled, largely, as I believe, because of the defects in the construction of the pan in question. Such pan, in order that a sufficiently large body of water may be provided, requires to be ofconsiderable length, and is ordinarily disposed longitudinally of the railroad track, resting on the ties approximately midway between the rails. A considerable strain is imposed upon the pan when the scoop is dropped therein, so that it requires to be firmly secured to the ties, while at the same time such pan must of necessity be in one continuous length so that considerable longitudinal contraction and elongation 3 occurs as a result of changes in temperature.

The object of the present invention, ac cordingly, is the provision of a pan of the type in question which may be properly secured to the ties, while still allowing for such changes in length as occur under varying temperature conditions. A further objeot is to so form the pan as to permit the ready engagement and disengagement of the scoop therewith; and still another object is to provide satisfactory means for heating the pan so as to prevent the freezing of water therein during cold weather.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such. disclosed means constituting, however, but several of various mechanical forms in which the principleof the invention maybe 7 are bent over and downwardly to formdepending flanges 2, the lower edges of which are in turn bent downwardly to form horizontally projecting flanges- 3. The trough is made up of sections of convenient length out of sheet metal bent between forming dies in a press or otherwise, and such actions then joined end to end by autogenous welding Or otherwise, so as to make a continuous trough of desired length. The lat? eral flanges 3 lie in a plane somewhat higher than the bottom of the trough so that the latter may be set in a suitable recess 4 formed in the successive ties 5, and allow such flange 3 to rest on the upper surface of the ties. A series of clips 6, firmly spiked to the ties and overlying such flanges 3, serve to secure the pan against vertical dislocation with respect to said ties, while at the same time allowing for longitudinal shifting movement of any-given portion of the pan due to expansion or contraction as afore said. In other words, the clips are formed so as to allow a certain slight clearance for the flanges 3, which it is not possible to secure where, as in the present construction, flanges are riveted on to the sides of the pan, and these flanges then directly spiked down on to the ties.

For the purpose of heating the pan in cool weather, a steam pipe 7 is placed on each side of the trough 1 between the side wall thereof and the depending flange 2, the curve joining the two parts being approximately the same as that of the pipe so that the latter will closely fit the space in question.

In order to support the pipe a series of lugs 8 project inwardly from said flange 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The modified construction of Fig. 2 ditfers from that of Fig. l in that the depending flange 9, instead of lying parallel with the side walls of the trough 1O proper, flare outwardly, and such flange directly contacts wit-h the ties 5; in other words, there is no horizontal flange corresponding with flange 3. Said flange 9 is provided with a series of elongated slots 11, corresponding in location with the successive ties, and the spikes 12 are driven through such slots into the ties. In this way provision is made for a certain amount of longitudinal contraction and expansion, as will be readily understood. The steam pipes 7 are located and held in place in this modified form of pan just as in the first described form.

Other modes ,of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. A track pan for railroads comprising a longitudinally extending trough having its upper marginal portions bent downwardly at points spaced from the side walls of said trough to form integral depending flanges adapted to contact with the ties of a railroad, and form the securing means for said structure, substantially as described.

2. A track pan for railroads comprising a longitudinally extending trough having its upper marginal portions bent downwardly at points spaced from the side walls of said trough and then outwardly to form integral depending flanges adapted to contact with the ties of a railroad, and form the securing means for said structure, substantially as described.

3. A track pan for railroads comprising a longitudinally extending trough having its upper marginal portions bent downwardly at points spaced from the side walls of said trough to form integral depending flanges adapted to contact with the ties of a railroad, in combination with steam pipes secured in place between such flanges and the side-walls of said trough.

4:. A track pan for railroads comprising a longitudinally extending trough having 7 its upper marginal portions bent downwardly at points spaced from the side walls of said trough and then outwardly to form integral depending flanges, in combination with clips spiked to such ties and overlying the outwardly bent portions of such flanges.

5. A track pan for railroads comprising a longitudinally extending trough having its lateral edges bent downwardly and then outwardly to form integral depending flanges, the outwardly bent portions of such flanges lying in a horizontal plane above the bottom of the trough.

6. A track pan for railroads comprising a longitudinally extending trough having its lateral edges bent downwardly and then outwardly to form integral depending flanges, in combination with clips spiked to such ties and overlying the outwardly bent portions of such flanges, and steam pipes secured in place between such flanges and the side-walls of said trough.

Signed by me, this 20th day of June, 1921.

JAMES H. FLEHARTY. 

